Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The text on which this morning's message is based comes from our Pentecost lesson (Acts 2: 1-21) read earlier.

In 1977, people all over America began flocking into theatres to see a movie that was virtually unknown. It had unknown characters, an unknown plot, an unknown director, unknown robots, unbefore-seen special effects. That movie was, of course Star Wars, Episode 4. It was never expected to become the biggest grossing movie of all time. But it appeared, and the word began spreading. I was 19 at the time. I still remember one of the effects its special effects had one me. The next morning after seeing all the explosions and blaster shots, I was working on my Dad's 80-foot tall silo. I accidentally hit an 80 foot long high tension cable with a large wrench. It made the same sound as the blaster rifles in the movie (bbbiiiiinnnnggg). I ducked so hard I almost fell. (Don't be too concerned. I wasn't at the top of the silo, only 5 feet above the ground). With great glee I spent the next few minutes making my own Star Wars farm sound effects.

Even if you've never seen any of the movies, you probably know of some of the characters: Darth Vader, Anakin and Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Queen Amidala, Obi Wan Kenobi, R2D2. You probably know that each movie begins with huge words scrolling up the screen, informing us of the sci-fi "reality" we are about to enter. Now 25 years after the first Star Wars movies, Episode 4, then 5 & 6, we have now reverted back to the beginning of the story. Three years ago, on Pentecost weekend, Episode 1 was released. Now, this year, again on Pentecost weekend, Episode 2 comes out. Perhaps those weekends are only a coincidence, but perhaps not. Lucas' movies have always emphasized Biblical themes, like the battle between good and evil, the coming of a Messiah figure, redemption. Unfortunately he has wrapped those themes in with New Age religious messages attached, but I won't go off on that tangent.

It is ironic that Star Wars, Episode 2 comes out the same weekend that we celebrate Episode 2 of the Church. Episode 1 of the Church, the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is what we have been celebrating since December. Jesus Christ came "to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20: 28), as a ransom for us. He came to a world that was parched and dry from the effects of sin, and He gave his life to bring new life to this world. Messiah figures in the Star Wars movies risk their lives with light sabres and rocket ships. But our Messiah, Jesus Christ, came in Episode 1 of the great story of salvation, not to risk his life, but to give up his life on the cross for you and for me. Our Messiah Jesus came, not with huge words scrolling up a movie screen, but with powerful words, God's Word that tell us of his love and compassion for helpless, sinful human creatures. Our Messiah came, not as a human Jedi Warrior, but as the Son of God Himself, fully God and fully man. Episode 1 of this great story of salvation ended with these last 7 weeks of Easter in which our Messiah rose again from the dead, appeared to his disciples, and then ascended back into heaven from whence he came. But today, on Pentecost, we begin Episode 2 of the Church. In this Episode 2 the characters are not empowered by the impersonal power of the Force, but the very personal power of the 3rd Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. On this day of Episode 2 of the Church the Holy Spirit becomes the main character for the rest of the Church's age. We too often forget him, neglect his power in our lives, neglect the power He alone provides to bring us to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. We too often forget and neglect the power He gives us to lead sanctified, loving and peaceful lives here. Jesus says in our Gospel lesson: "When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 4 actually tells us that we can grieve the Holy Spirit with our unholy lives, with lives filled with anger, and bitterness, and slander. The Holy Spirit comes, convicts us of our guilt, convinces us of our helplessness before a righteous God. The Holy Spirit comes and convinces us of our need for God's righteousness. He begs us and pleads with us to trust in Him.

But yet this Holy Spirit, the 3rd person of the Trinity, as kind and compassionate and loving toward us as our Lord Jesus Christ, comes to us. This Holy Spirit bids us to build each other up, to be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other as in Christ God forgave" us (Ephesians 4: 32).

Mr. Ira Yates was like many other ranchers in West Texas during the Great Depression of the 1930's. He had a lot of land, and a lot of debt. Mr. Yates wasn't able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family (like many others) had to live on a government subsidy. Day after day, as he grazed his sheep over those rolling West Texas hills, he was no doubt greatly troubled about how he would pay his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him there might be oil under his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract. At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many subsequent wells were more than twice as large, producing 100,000's of barrels each day for more than 30 years. And Mr. Yates owned it all. The day he purchased the land he had received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he'd been living on government relief. A multimillionaire living in poverty. The problem? He didn't know the oil was there even though he owned it. It is fair to say that spiritually you and I are a lot like Mr. Yates at times. We are heirs of a vast treasure and yet we live in spiritual poverty (from Rev. Dan Rondeau in "Come, Holy Spirit"). We are entitled to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and his energizing power, and yet we live unaware of our birthright, given to us when we were baptized into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We go through life imagining ourselves as only ordinary, or even troubled. Granted, the Holy Spirit will probably not descend upon us here today at nine o'clock in the morning in the same way he did that first Pentecost, with flames of fire and speaking in other languages. But in reality we have been gifted with an extraordinary gift, the same extraordinary gift those Jews received at that first Pentecost. We have received eternal life that has already begun in Christ Jesus. We gather today to remember how rich we are. We gather here today to partake of the great gift of touching Christ's body in the Sacrament, the great mystery through which we receive his forgiveness again.

For the past 6 months of the church year, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter, our Bible readings have focused on Episode 1 of this great story of salvation, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. During Episode 2 now, Pentecost May to November we will continue to focus on what Jesus Christ has done for us, but now with more readings and sermons about how we respond to the great gift Jesus Christ gave to us in Episode 1. Now, during Episode 2, Pentecost, we will focus on what the Holy Spirit has done to bring us to faith, what he has done to call, gather and enlighten the whole Christian Church on earth, in which church He daily and richly forgives our sins. Now, during Episode 2 of the Church we await the arrival of Episode 3, "the great and glorious day of the Lord", knowing that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved" (Acts 2: 21).

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us always. Amen.

Note: The Star Wars theme and Episode 2 ideas came from Sermonillustrations.com.